Well, do something! Top tips towards ending procrastination
1. Take control of your emails
Amanda Bennetts, chief executive of Bennetts Wide Calf Boots, says she's most likely to procrastinate when she opens her email account. "I normally have more than 50 emails I need to attend to when I open my mail and at times I feel overwhelmed," she says. "My tip for this situation is to go through and delete anything that's not important - for instance ads and newsletters - and green flag anything I have to get back to."
2. Become a list maker
Business consultant Amanda Rose's top tip is to make a to-do list on a weekly and nightly basis. "This will give you a sense of direction and also help prioritise what you need to do," she says.
3. Break up your work
Anthea Cahill, founder of online tea business RealChai, suggests breaking up your work day into small parts. "You don't have to have all the pieces of the puzzle figured out; you just need to take small steps. It's the first step that has the biggest impact."
4. Face your fears
Business coach Narelle Lee says asking yourself why you're afraid of acting is an important step to overcoming procrastination. "Sometimes by articulating the fear, and looking at just how unfounded it is, is enough to move forward."
5. Get help
Pilates coach Kim Paxton says if procrastination is affecting your life consider getting professional help. And: "Delegate, delegate, delegate."
6. Set up systems
Joshua Uebergang, marketing manager of e-commerce business Online Visions, advises: "Set up systems that prevent you from procrastinating. A system can be any external control to hold you to your important tasks, such as a deadline.
7. Plan procrastination time
Everyone needs some down time, so schedule time when you're not expected be on fire.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Start small and build momentum. The article recommends breaking big tasks into bite-sized steps (Anthea Cahill of RealChai) and making weekly and nightly to‑do lists to prioritise action (business consultant Amanda Rose). Setting a clear first step often makes the rest easier and reduces the urge to delay.
Tame your inbox before it overwhelms you. Amanda Bennetts (Bennetts Wide Calf Boots) suggests deleting unimportant messages like ads and newsletters and flagging the emails you must reply to. Clearing clutter and marking priority items helps you focus on the investment actions that matter.
Lists give direction and help prioritise. The article advises keeping both a weekly and a nightly list (Amanda Rose) so you always know the next steps — whether it’s rebalancing, researching a stock, or setting up alerts — which reduces decision paralysis and procrastination.
Break the decision into smaller, manageable parts. Anthea Cahill recommends splitting your workday into small chunks and focusing on the first step. For investing, that could mean researching one metric, setting a deadline for a decision, or drafting a quick pros-and-cons note rather than trying to solve everything at once.
Name the fear and examine it. Business coach Narelle Lee suggests asking why you’re afraid and articulating the worry; often seeing how unfounded the fear is helps you move forward. For investors, that can mean assessing whether the fear is about loss, uncertainty, or a knowledge gap and addressing it directly.
If procrastination is affecting your results, consider professional help or delegation. Pilates coach Kim Paxton recommends getting help when procrastination impacts your life and advises delegating tasks. For investors, this might mean working with a financial adviser, using a managed fund, or assigning routine account tasks to a trusted service.
Create external controls and deadlines. Joshua Uebergang (Online Visions) suggests systems that hold you to important tasks — examples include calendar deadlines, automatic transfers for investing, alerts for portfolio reviews, or checklists that trigger action on set dates.
Yes — scheduled downtime can improve productivity. The article recommends planning time when you’re not expected to be 'on fire,' so you can recharge without guilt. For investors, deliberately scheduling short breaks or off days can reduce burnout and help you return to decision-making with a clearer head.
Call 1300 880 160
Start a chat
Schedule a call
